RESEARCH_FILE
Julia M. Rohrer
University of Leipzig
Known for:Large-scale statistical tests that found birth order has little to no effect on personality
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“I'll never be the favorite in this family”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“The ranking is their accounting error, not my worth.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Take a blank note and make three columns: noticed, assumed meaning, and another explanation. Fill in just one family memory from the past week, then fold the note and put it away.
Key findings
- 2015
Analyzing more than 20,000 people across three large national panels in Germany, the US and Britain, birth order showed no meaningful effect on extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness or imagination, though firstborns showed a small advantage in measured and self-reported intellect. Examining the Effects of Birth Order on Personality ↗
Research areas
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